Electrically driven pump

ABSTRACT

A pump for liquids has a rotor and a casing which also form part of an induction motor. The rotor has internal helical vanes and includes a conical portion at its downstream end to provide an annular outlet. There are aligned axial through passages in the rotor and casing. The annular rotor outlet is aligned with a volute chamber which communicates with the pump outlet. When pumping the rotor also operates to separate, by centrifugal action, the liquid from any vapor present, the vapor passing out of the pump via the axial passages.

United States Patent 1191 Bottoms et al.

1 1 Mar. 27, 1973 541 ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN PUMP 2,319,730 5 1943 Garraway ..417/356 [75] Inventors: Harry Simister Bottoms; Geoffrey izi Arthur, Lewis both of Solihu, Em gland Primary Examiner-C. J. Husar [73] Assignee: Joseph Lucas (Industries) Limited, Attorney-Holman, Glascock, Downing and Seebold Birmingham, England 22 Filed: May 6,1970 [57] ABSTRACT A um for li uids has a rotor and a casin which also 21 A 119335200 P P g 1 pp 0 form part of an induction motor. The rotor has internal helical vanes and includes a conical portion at its [52] US. Cl v.4717/356, 415/72 downstr am nd to provide an annular outlet. There lit. CL ..l are aligned axial through passages in the rotor and Fleld of Search casing The annular rotor outlet is aligned a volute chamber which communicates with the pump [56] References C'ted outlet. When pumping the rotor also operates to UNITED STATES PATENTS separate, by centrifugal action, the liquid from any vapor present, the vapor passing out of the pump via 1,347,732 7/l920 Cooper ..4l7/356 the axial passages. 2,246,777 6/1941 Bordeaux et al. 2,312,848 3/1943 Pezzillo ..417/356 6 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure a 46 36 r l0, F L. Nua Q 28 l6 IO 9 ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN PUMP This invention relates to electrically driven pumps.

A pump according to the invention comprises a rotor having an inlet and an outlet, the said rotor forming part of the armature of an electric induction motor, one or more impellers of generally helical form mounted within the rotor, a casing forming part of the stator of the induction motor, the said casing having an inlet and an outlet, bearings supporting the rotor within the casing, a volute chamber within the casing and communicating with the outlet thereof, the said chamber being positioned so as to receive liquid discharged, in use, from the rotor outlet and the inlets of the rotor and casing also communicating.

A pump in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which a rotor having an inlet 11 and an outlet 12 includes an outer wall 13 having a substantially cylindrical portion 14 and a portion 15 of increasing diameter. A plurality of vanes 16 integral with the wall 13 project into the bore of the rotor 10 each said vane 16 substantially describing within the rotor 10 a helix whose axis is concentric with the axis of the rotor 10. The vanes 16 do not extend to the axis of the rotor 10. Over a portion of the rotor 10 adjacent the inlet 11 there is thus an unobstructed axial passage 10a. A conical member 17 is located and fixedly held, substantially within the bore of the rotor 10, by the vanes 16 so as to define an annular passage 18 at the rotor outlet 12.

A spigot 19 carried within the member 17 serves to locate bearings 20, 21 which in turn engage a flanged member 22 mounted in a body 23. Member 22 and body 23 together form part of a casing 24 of which an end member forms the other part. Members 17, 22 define a chamber 36 with which axial passages 17a, 22a in members 17, 22 respectively communicate. The end member 25 has a first inwardly directed annular spigot 26 which locates bearings 27, 28 which in turn engage the outer wall 13 of the rotor 10. The end member 25 also has a second inwardly directed annular spigot 29 which locates the end member 25 on the body 23. The end member 25 has a plurality of vanes 30 which tend, in use, to produce an axial flow of liquid at the rotor inlet 11. Mountings 36 for attachment to an external apparatus (not shown) are carried by the end member 25.

The body 23 has formed within it a volute chamber 31 whose form is generally conchate and which has at one end an opening 32 closely aligned with, and which extends round the major part of, the rotor outlet l2.

The other end of the volute chamber 31 forms a pipe connection 33.

Electric windings 34, fixedly mounted on the rotor 10, an electric windings 35 fixedly mounted within the casing 24 form the rotor and stator windings respectively of an electric induction motor.

The pump is particularly adapted for use in a fuel tank of an aircraft and in use is mounted in the tank with the inlet 11 adjacent the bottom of the tank. Fuel entering the inlet 11 is urged by the impellers 16 towards the rotor outlet 12, whence it passes into the volute chamber and out through the pipe connection 33. A small proportion of the fuel leaving the rotor outlet 12 does not enter the o ening 32 of the chamber 31 but escapes to provide a ubrlcating and cooling flow for bearings 20, 21 and bearings 27, 28.

Vapor in the fuel is separated by centrifugal action of the rotor 10, the heavier, liquid particles passing to the rotor outlet 12 and the lighter, vapor particles remaining centrally within the rotor 10. The vapor particles thus pass via the passages 10a, 17a, chamber 36 and passage 22a to re-enter the fuel tank.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A pump comprising a rotor having an inlet and an outlet, the said rotor forming part of the armature of an electric induction motor, one or more impellers of generally helical form mounted within the rotor, a casing forming part of the stator of the induction motors, the said casing having an inlet and an outlet, bearings supporting the rotor within the casing, a volute chamber within the casing and communicating with the outlet thereof, the said chamber being positioned so as to receive liquid discharged, in use, from the rotor outlet, the inlets of the rotor and casing also communicating and the rotor and casing being formed with aligned axial through passages.

2. A pump as claimed in claim 1 in which the internal diameter of the rotor adjacent its outlet is substantially greater than the internal diameter adjacent its inlet.

3. A pump as claimed in claim 2 in which the rotor outlet is of annular form.

4. A pump as claimed in claim 3 in which the rotor is formed with a co-axial conical portion which cooperates with the outside wall of the rotor to define the rotor outlet.

5. A pump as claimed in claim 1 in which the impellers extend from the outside wall of the rotor to positions spaced from the axis of the rotor.

6. A pump as claimed in claim 1 in which a proportion of the liquid delivered, in use, from the rotor outlet is supplied to the bearings. 

1. A pump comprising a rotor having an inlet and an outlet, the said rotor forming part of the armature of an electric induction motor, one or more impellers of generally helical form mounted within the rotor, a casing forming part of the stator of the induction motors, the said casing having an inlet and an outlet, bearings supporting the rotor within the casing, a volute chamber within the casing and communicating with the outlet thereof, the said chamber being positioned so as to receive liquid discharged, in use, from the rotor outlet, the inlets of the rotor and casing also communicating and the rotor and casing being formed with aligned axial through passages.
 2. A pump as claimed in claim 1 in which the internal diameter of the rotor adjacent its outlet is substantially greater than the internal diameter adjacent its inlet.
 3. A pump as claimed in claim 2 in which the rotor outlet is of annular form.
 4. A pump as claimed in claim 3 in which the rotor is formed with a co-axial conical portion which co-operates with the outside wall of the rotor to define the rotor outlet.
 5. A pump as claimed in claim 1 in which the impellers extend from the outside wall of the rotor to positions spaced from the axis of the rotor.
 6. A pump as claimed in claim 1 in which a proportion of the liquid delivered, in use, from the rotor outlet is supplied to the bearings. 